Telegraphic transmitter.



W. E. SHAW.

TELEGRAPHIG TRANSMITTER.

APPLICATION FILED rmmo, 1912.

1,671,267 Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAsmNo'r0N, u. c

W. E. SHAW.

TELBGRAPHIG TRANSMITTER.

APPLICATION FILED PBBJO, 1912.

1 ,()7'1 ,267, Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAM E. SI'IAl/V, OF SHERIDAN, WYOMING.

'IELEGRAPHIC TRANSMITTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 9226,1913.

Application filed February 10; 1912. Serial No. 676,760.

To all whom 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that I, W ILLIAM E. SHAW, citizen of the United States, residing at Sheridan, in the county of Sheridan and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraphic Transmitters, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to telegraphic transmitters, and has as its object to provide an instrument of this class by the use of which messages may be sent more rapidly and with less fatigue than by the use of the ordinary instrument;

An aim of the invention is to provide a telegraphic transmitter so constructed that in order to send a number of dots but a single movement of the sending key will be necessary.

The instrument of the present invention embodies a vibratory member arranged to make and break the circuit when the sending key is pressed and thereby send a number of (:lots, and it is an aim of the invention to provide means whereby the frequency of the vibrations may be varied to suit the operator using the instrument. The invention also contemplates the provision of means for varying the amplitude of the vibration.

A further aim of the invention is to so construct the instrument that dashes transmitted thereby must be made by a positive movement of the sending key.

The invention also aims to so construct and mount the sending key that its movement to transmit a dash will not in any way affect the vibrating dot producing member.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the instrument embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a group perspective view of the sending key, the parts thereof being shown disassembled.

In the drawings, the base of the instrumentis indicated by the numeral 1 and, for a purpose which will be presently made apparent, is of metal, it being provided upon its under side with supporting feet 2 of insulating material. The sending key ofthe instrument is mounted in a bracket consisting of a base 3 secured to the upper side of the base 1 and spaced thereabove by strips 4 of insulating material. This bracket includes an upper cross-piece 5 spaced above the base 3. A stud 6 is threaded into the base 3 and forms a bearing for a vertically arranged rock pin 7, the upper end of this pin seating in the lower end of a screw 8 adjustably threaded through said piece 5 and held at adjustment by means of a jam-nut 9. The pin 7 is in this manner supported for oscillation. The sending key includes in its structure a section 10 formed upon one side between its ends with a boss 11 having an opening 12 formed vertically therethrough and receiving the pin 7. A setscrew 13 is threaded through the boss and bears at its end, against the said pin 7, thereby supporting the section 10 of the key for oscillation with the pin. This set-screw also serves to hold the section 10 at adjustmentupon the pin. The key also includes a member 14!: which is formed at its forward end upon its upper and lower edges with ears 15 and 16, respectively, these cars projecting laterally beyond one side of the said member, and being formed with vertically alined openings 17 through which the pin 7 eX- tends. The member 14: is disposed against the section 10 with the ears 15 extending respectively above and below the boss 11, but

the pin is freely received in the openings 17 so that the member 14; is free to rock upon the pin independently of the section 10. To permit of such movementthat side of the member 14 beyond which the ears 15 and 16 project is beveled at its said forward end as at 18. The'section 10 is formed, upon that side on which the boss 11 is formed, with a boss 19 having a beveled lateral face 20. A leaf spring 21 has one end secured in a groove in the boss 11 and is bent to extend over the boss 19, the body portion of the spring indicated by the nun'leral 22 extending inwardly at an angle in the direction of the rear end of the said section 10 and being provided adjacent its free end with an opening 23. The section 10 is formed opposite the opening 23 with a slot 24 and a screw 25 is engaged through the opening 23 and slot 24; and is adjustably threaded through the member At its end this screw is provided with a contact point 26 which is preferably of platinum. By referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be apparent that oscillation of the mem ber 14 upon the pin 7 is to be accomplished against the tension of the spring 21, and

that its movement with relation to the section 10 is limited by the head of the screw 25 bearing against the body portion 22 of the said spring which in turn will bear against the slotted end of the section 10.

For convenience in manipulating the sending key, the member 1A is provided at its rear end upon one side with a fingeriece 27 and at its said end upon the opposite side with a thumb-piece 28. The section 10 at its forward end is bifurcated as at 29 to receive the rear end of a leaf spring 30 which at its forward end fits in a bifurcation 31 formed in a head 32 located at the rear end of a stem 33 which is preferably rectangular in cross section. The stem 33 supports a weight which is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and consists of two sections, one indicated by the numeral 34 and the other by the numeral 35, these sections being riveted or otherwise secured together and having formed in their meeting faces, grooves 36 and 37, respec tively, which register when the sections are properly assembled so as to afford a bore extending through the weight and receiving the said stem 33. The weight is slidable on this stem and in order to hold it at adjustment, there is provided a bowed leaf spring 38 which is fitted in a recess 39 formed in the section 34: and opening into the groove 36 of this section. This spring has a portion tending to project into the said groove 36 and consequently arranged to bear frictionally against the adjacent side of the stem 33.

It will be readily understood from the above that the weight may be adjusted longitudinally upon the stem 33 and that it will be securely held at adjustment by the spring 38. The purpose of adjustably mounting this weight upon the stem will presently be explained. At this point it is to be remarked that the portion of the key beyond the forward end of the section 10 is arranged for vibratory movement, whereas the member 1 1 of the key is arranged for positive movement, the term positive being used in this connection in the specification and claims to convey the idea that the member 14 of the key is intended only to have a certain definite and positive movement as distinguished from the vibratory movement had by that portion of the key beyond the section 10. Consequently, it may be stated, that the key as a whole is capable of either positive or vibratory movement.

In order to positively limit the oscillation of the section 10 of the key in one direction, there is provided an abutment screw 40 threaded through a post 41 fixed upon the base of the instrument, there being a set nut 12 fitted upon this screw and bearing against one side of the post whereby to hold the screw at adjustment. The forward end of the section 10 of the key is designed to strike against the end of this screw 40 when the key is oscillated by pressing against the finger-piece 27. In order to yieldably limit the swinging movement of the key or more specifically the section 10 thereof in an opposite direction there is provided a screw 43 which is adjustably threaded through the post 44: on the base 1 and has fitted upon it a spring 45 bearing at one end against a nut 46 which is adjustably threaded upon the screw and at'its other end against the forward end of the said section 10, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, a set-nut a7 is provided for holding the screw 43 in adjustment, and it will be understood that the spring 15 will yieldably resist the movement of the forward end of the section 10 in the direction of the inner end of the screw 43 and that such movement of the section will be positively resisted after the spring has been compressed and the end of the section engages with the said inner end or the screw. Also it will be apparent that the ends of the spring 15 may be adjusted by means of the nut 16.

A post 48 is fixedly mounted on the base 1 and is insulated therefrom as indicated at 19, and a plate 50 is supported for adjustment toward and from this post by means of pins 51 secured at their inner ends in the plate and fitted slidably through openings 52 in the said post. These pins are provided at their outer ends with heads 53, and arranged upon the pins between the said heads, and the adjacent side of the post l8 are springs 54 which tend to move the plate 50 toward the post. An adjusting screw 55 is threaded through the post and has its inner end fitting in or bearing against the plate 50 and by rotating this screw the plate 50 may be forced away from the post 18 against the tension of the springs 54. A leaf spring 56 is secured at its lower end in or to the lower end of the plate 50 and projects up in front of this plate, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and has its upper end portion bent over as at 57 and provided at its extremity with a contact block 58 preferably of platinum. A spring 59 is secured by means of a screw 60 to the head 53 of the stem 33 and is bowed near its point of attachment and is thence extended up beside the said head and between the same and the spring 56. This spring, at its upper extremity carries a contact point 61 which, when the instrument is properly adjusted is located directly opposite the contact block 58.

It will now be apparent that when vibratory movement is imparted to the stem the contact point 61 will repeatedly strike against the contact block 58 and, as will be presently set forth, this serves to rapidly "make and break the telegraph circuit, producing a greater or less number of dots depending upon the number of complete vibrations which the stem 33 is permitted to have. It will also be observed that by adjusting the weight upon the stem 33, the frequency of the vibrations in any given period of time may be varied to suit the operator using the instrument. In order to provide means for varying the amplitude of vibration of the stem there is provided an abutment screw 62 which is threaded through a post 63 upon the base 1 and against the end of which the forward end of the stem 33 is arranged to strike. This abutment screw serves as a means for causing the stem to instantly come to rest when the key as a whole is returned to its normal position.

A post 64 is fixed upon the base 1 and insulated therefrom and threaded through this post near its upper end is a contact screw 65 held at adjustment by a set nut 66. This screw is provided at its end with a platinum contact point 67 located directly opposite and in the line of movement of the contact point 26 upon the screw 25.

It will be understood that when the member 14 or" the key is moved in the direction of the post 64 by pressing against the fingerpiece 27, the contact point 26 will be brought into contact with the point 67 and it may be held in such engagement for any desired length of time, depending upon the length of the dash to be transmitted.- Binding posts 68 and 69 are mounted upon the base 1, the post 68 being in circuit electrically with the said base 1. The post 69 through the medium of its securing screw with one end of a conductor strip 70 which is arranged beneath the base and insulated therefrom by a similar strip 71 of insulating material. The strip 70 is also in circuit with the post 5L8 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing and with the post 64, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The usual conductor wires 72 and 73 are connected respectively with the posts 68 and 69 and lead to an ordinary jack located at 74. ()bviously, when the contact point (31 engages with the contact block 58, and the point 26 is in contact with the point 67, the circuit will be completed through the base 1, the support or the key, the said key and through strip 70. In order that the circuit may be permanently closed, through the instrument, there is provided a switch 7 5 pivoted as at 7 6 upon the base 1 and movable to engage beneath a contact tongue 77 in circuit with the post 64.

In using the instrument, the forefinger and thumb are placed respectively against the finger-piece 27 and thumb piece 28 and the operator then rocks the member 14 in one direction or the other, in one instance to cause a more or less prolonged contact between the points 26 and 67, whereby to transmit a dash of greater or less strength, and in the other instance to cause vibration of the stem 33 and the transmission of the proper number of dots. It will be noted that but a single movement of the operators hand is required to secure any reasonable number of dots.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is':

1. In a telegraphic transmitter, a contact member comprising a support, a head having stems slidably fitted through the support, a set-screw threaded through the support and connected with the said head, a leaf-spring contact carried by the head and having its contact portion extending in spaced relation to the head, a sending-key including a vibratory member, and a yield able contact carried by the said vibratory member.

2. In a telegraphic transmitter, a contact member including a support, ahead having stems slidably fitted through the support, a spring upon each of the stems bearing against the support and against an abutment upon the stem and tending to move the head in the direction of the support, a set-screw threaded through the support and engaging the said head and operable to adjust the head away from the support, a leafspring contact carried by the head and having its contact portion extending in spaced relation to the head, and a sending key including a vibratory member carrying a contact arranged to cooperate with the leafspring contact.

I11 a telegraphic transmitter, a contact member comprising a support, a head car ried thereby and adjustable toward and from the support, a leaf-spring contact carried by the head and extending in spaced relation with respect thereto, a sending-key including a vibratory member, and a leaf-spring contact carried by the vibratory member and lying in spaced relation with respect thereto and having its contact portion located in juxtaposition to the contact portion of the first mentioned leaf-spring contact.

4. In a telegraphic transmitter, a contact member, a second contact member, a support, a pin mounted for oscillating movement in the support, a sending-key including a section fixedly supported upon the pin for oscillation therewith, a vibratory section supported by the first mentioned section and ar ranged for cooperation with the second mentioned contact, the sending-key including a third section assembled with the first mentioned section and having spaced ears em bracing that portion of the first mentioned section through which the said oscillating pin passes, the said ears having pivotal en.

gagement with the said pin whereby the third mentioned section of the key is supported for oscillating movement upon the pin independently of the first mentioned tion and arranged for cooperation with the first mentioned contact.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. SHAW. [L. s] WVitness/es:

M. H. CHAMBERS, FRANK J. FIsoHnR.

section, a leaf-spring carried by the first mentioned section and extending in spaced relation to that portion thereof which eX- tends beside the third mentioned section, and a contact screw fitted through the spring and having its head bearing against the said spring, the said screw being adjustably threaded through the third mentioned sec- Oopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

